Mop



F. P. TOOF AND C. E. LANCASTER.

MOP.

APPLICATION FILED 050.21, 1917.

1,371,988, Patented. Mar.15,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I wJMMJ/Z/Z/MMMA 511413014 601 Frank Lin]? Tomi and Charles E.Lanca51'ar F. P. TUUF AND C. E. LANCASTER.

MOP.

APPLICATION FILED M021, 1917.

1,3? 1,988 Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. Elwwzmtoz 6 FranklinF Tmmf and m EhaFLEE: ELancaaTIEt M M x abtozuuqi UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN TOOF, OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY, AND CHARLES E. LANCASTER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; SAID LANCASTER ASSIGNOR TO SAID HOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANKLIN P. Teen and CHARLES E. LANCASTER, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Paducah, in the county of McCracken, 1n

the State of Kentucky, and of Washington,

in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mops, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to mops, and has particular reference to certain improvements in the mop structure set forth and claimed in the a lication for Letters Patent of the Unite States filed April 17,1916, b Franklin P. Toof, and bearing Serial i umber 91,769.

As disclosed in the above identified application, and as actually reduced to practice, the swatches of mops are each made up of innumerable fiber, such as spun cotton, secured to a sheath of flexible material, which may be cloth, the fiber secured between the plies of the sheath with stitching securely holding the fiber in place and providing aswatch structure which is both flexible and durable. To shape and support this type of swatch for use, a frame of wire or stamped metal is usually employed, and is usually polygonal in shape including spaced end portions on which the sheath of the swatch may be easily threaded, the sheath concealing the gap between the spaced end portions of the frame.

Frames of this general character are of open construction and the fibers of the swatch are to a large extent forced up into the open frame when the mop is applied to a surface particularly against walls and ceilings, and also when pressure is brought upon the mop frame. Under these conditions, the maximum amount of fiber is not brought into operation and consequently the full efiiciency of the mop is not obtained.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved mop frame of such construction as to detachably hold the swatch in place and to hold the fibers from turning up into the frame; a frame which embodies simplicity, lightness in weight, and durability in construction; and a frame which may be readily stamped economically from sheet metal.

Another-object of this invention is to provide a mop frame adapted to detachably receive the swatch and hold the ends thereof at an angle to prevent the accidental slipping of the swatch from the frame when the mop is m use; the ends of the swatch being preferably turned inward toward each other at the end of the frame to offer resistance to withdrawal from the frame except when pressure is applied to the inturned ends of the swatch.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part described, and in part understood, from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mop constructed according to this invention.

Flg. 2 is a perspective view of the swatch frame, the parts being removed therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a topplan view thereof with the handle connecting bolt applied thereto.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the frame taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 3, and showin a swatch applied thereto.

ig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a sheet metal blank stamped to form a number of mop frames cut therein and prior to being separated and bent into shape.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of the mop frame.

Referring to these drawings, a swatch is disclosed of the construction specifically set forth in the copending application above referred to, and which broadly comprises a sheath A open at opposite ends and having stitched thereto a number of cotton or the like'fibers B for contact with the surface to be cleaned or polished.

The improvement of this invention is directed to the structure of the frame, which in the present instance comprises a body plate 10 of triangular or other suitable form to provide a closed body part. The plate 10 has at its inner end, or at its broader end, a rearwardly projecting neck 11 from which laterally extend bars 12, the latter being held in spaced relation from the plate 10 by the neck 11. The bars 12 are of angular forma- 7 tion, the same extending latera ly from the neck 11 and thence longitudinally in spaced relation to the lateral edges of the body plate and terminating in closely spaced apart relation at the forward end or apex of the body plate. Preferably, the lateral portions 13 of the bars are bent up in position with their transverse longitudinal planes at right angles to the planes of the rear lateral extensions of the bars 12, the bends in the bars being formed at their angled portions.

The inner ends of the bars 12, which merge into the neck 11, are formed at preferably an angle to provide shoulders 14 which are arranged at the rear edge of the frame, the said inner ends of the bars extending rearwardly and diverging from one another to form the shoulders. Stamped and struck up from the body plate 10 of the frame, and intermediate the front and rear ends thereof, is pair of laterally s aced apart and registering ears 15 adapter to support a detachable bolt or pivot pin 16.

The mop is provided with a handle C detachably secured to the frame, preferably by means of the coupling D specifically set forth in the above referred to application and comprising a preferably threaded socket into which the end of the handle is detachably engaged and a cylindrical or sleeve portion E through which the bolt or pin 16 is adapted to pass. The handle C is thus pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the frame, and the frame is filled in by means of the body plate 10.

When the frames are constructed from sheet metal as above described, they may be stamped or cut from a blank or strip of sheet metal 17 with the apices of the frames alternately arranged at the opposite lateral edges of the strip 17 to economize inrthe consumption of material and also to admit of rapidity in the process of manufacture. As shown in the blank illustrated in Fig. 5, the lateral portions 13 of the bars 12 are flat and lie in the plane of the blank, and

are adapted to be bent up into the form shown in the other views of the drawings subsequent to the cutting or stamping operation.

As shown in Fig, 6 the neck portion is formed by the independent returned and curved ends 18 of the arms 12, the ends 18 preferably extending into the rear end of the body plate 10 and formed by curved relatively deep recesses or slots 19 formed in the rear edge of the plate 10.to separate the bars from the plate. These returned ends 18 of the bars provide between them a relatively deep recess or concavity in the rear end of the frame.

By bending the lateral portions 13 of the bars upwardly to lie in vertical planes, the lower edge portions of the bars 13 are disposed above the horizontal plane of the body plate 10 so that when the sheath A of the swatca is threaded over the bars, the sheath is held substantially above the plate A and he fibers are free to spread against the under side of the plate and are s'up orted from turning u between the bars. he bars 12 are of su cient width to sustain the pressure placed upon the frame without bending the bars, and the lateral portions 13 thereof are turned up into an edgewise position tofurther strengthen the bars as well as to hold the sheath in raised position.

In use, when it is desired to attach the swatch to the frame, it is only necessary to thread the opposite open ends of the sheath A over the forward ends of the arms 13 introducing the sheath through the gap be tween the arms 13. The sheath A is slid back upon the arms 13, and over the bends thereof to the inner ends of the bars 12. The free ends of the sheath A engage about the shoulders 14 and the sheath is thus frictionally held to the bars from sliding forwardly. As shown in Fig. 6 the curved inner ends of the bars may be employed for returning the free ends of the sheath in a direction toward the forward end of the frame and thus further insure the retension of the sheath Atin taut position upon the bars.

When a sheath is thus positioned the fibers B'extend below the frame and when spread and placed under pressure are supported against the surface to be cleansed by the body plate 10 which extends across the frame and substantially fills the space between the lateral arms 13 of the frame bars. The slots formed between the marginal edges of the plate 10 and the bars 12 is suflicient to receive the sheath when placed over the bars and admit of the manipulation of the sheath in positioning and removing it.

The forward spaced apart ends of the arms 13 are preferably rounded to admit the easy introduction of the ends of the sheath A thereover, and the intermediate portion of the sheath is adapted to close the gap between the arms when the sheath is drawn taut over the same.

The above specifically described mop frame is but one form which may be used, and it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in this orm to construct the same from sheet metal or otherwise, without departing from the spirit of this invention, the changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mop, the combination with a handle, a frame pivotalliy carried by the handle, and a swatch inclu ing a sheath, side bars carried by the frame and extending longitudinally at opposite sides thereof and spaced apart at their forward ends to receive the sheath thereover, said frame having an intermediate filler portion for-maintaming the swatch beneath the frame.

2. In a mop, the combination with a han- 'dle, and a swatch including a sheath, of a frame having an intermediate portion pivoted' to the handle andprovided with a flat under side and laterally disposed arms spaced from the intermediate portion and branching from the rear end of the plate and extending forwardly in spaced relation from and around the rear corners of the late, said bars being spaced apart at their orward ends to form a ap for the reception of said sheath over tie bars.

4. 'In a mop, the combination with a swatch having a sheath, of a frame comprisin a body plate and arms diverging latera y from the plate at the rear end thereof and being curved forwardl about the rear corners of the plate and a apted to receive said sheath rearwardliy plate to hold the sheath above the latter and engage the fiber of the swatch against the under side of the plate.

5. A mop frame including a plate of substantially triangular shape, arms carried by the central portion of one side 0f the plate and extending in spaced relation around the two adjacent sides of the triangular plate and having the ends of the arms termlnating in proximity to the corner-of theplate formed by said adjacent sides, said arms adapted to slidingly receive the sheath of a swatch, the plate'adjacent the portion to which said. arms are connected, being provided with recesses.

FRANKLIN P. 'roon' CHARLES E. LANCASTER.

thereover, the forwardly extending en s of the arms beingspaced above the horizontal plane of the 

